Beverage tray



UCL lo, 1950 R, J,. SHELLEY 25259243 ct. i0, 1950 R. J. SHELLEY BEVERAGE TRAY 2 sheets-#sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21. 14a

R. mw@ w. @MM m me A Sib l .i ./l FM. M, www a Patented Oct. 10, 1950 o Fries BEVERAGE TRAY Robert J.she11ey, Miami, F1a. Appucationianuaryzl, 1948*,seria1Naa45o 3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to bottle carrying'trays for storagey in cooling cabinets "where bottles are placed in layers, and in particular a tray suplported at the ends on tubular posts/ having re- 'silient means therein 'wherein the weight of the `bottles carries the tray downward, and as the bottles are removed ironia superimposed layer the bottleson""a"bttrri1 tray "are elevated -by` the Vresilient means so that they are within easy reach from the upper end ofthecabinet.

(Cl. S12- 176) `The purpose of `thisinvention is to provide means in a bottle storingand cooling cabinet for automatica-lly` elevating bottles from the lower part of the cabinet as superimposed bottles are removed so that it isnot necessary to reach down td the lowergparto'f thecabinet tofremo've the last layer of bottles.

In thefusual `deepphigh capacity electric beverage cooler for bottled beer and soft drinks, or`

forlm'ilk and the like it is necessary to bend, over and reach'down'to' the'bottom'to remove" the last bottles from the' box.' Thisisjbjectionable'because these boxes/'areV usuallythirty inches deep and due td the fact that theyare'built 'to 'be used under a counterjthe'openinglinthe top'issmall. With this thought mind this invention" contemplates arackor aphiralityofracks in' a'beverage cooler; cabinet or"the`likeg` whichfis supported onispringsfwhereinthesprings are sui'hciently compressed to hold one layer of bottles upward in the cabinet and a second layer of bottles will compress the springs further so that the rst layer of bottles will travel downward into the lower part of the cabinet where they will remain until the second or additional layers are removed. The object of this invention is to provide means for suspending trays for holding bottles and the like in a cabinet wherein the weight of bottles on the trays carries the trays downward and the trays move upward as the bottles are removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide resilient bottle tray supporting means that is adapted to be installed in cooling cabinets now in use.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the new and novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claims appended hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein: n

Figurev 1 is a view showing a cross section through a bottle storing and cooling cabinet with parts shown in elevation and parts in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan taken on line 2-2 of Figure'l showing the mountinglof one endrof a bottle carrying tray, with parts broken" away.

Figure 3 is a section taken -on lin'343 of Figure l looking towardthe rear of theicabinet-showing theV` trays indifferent positions, `and with some trays 'in-section and some in elevation, and

"withpart of the cabinet broken away.

'Figure 4 isa section takenl on line 4-4 ofl Figure 3"*on an enlarged'scale and with-parts broken away` illustrating theres'ilient mounting at the ends of the trays.

Figure 5 is a detail'shovving a'plan view of one end of one of the bottle carrying trays showing the shelf adapted to be placed on one layer of bottles wherebyanother layer may I -be placed thereon.

-R'eferring now to`the 'drawings wherein'like reference characters denote corresponding parts the'bottle elevatingrack of this invention includes trays lll supported at `the `ends on springs I I- in posts I 2 and A`I3',and` the device is illustrated in a cabinet-I 4 having a cover I5.

' The tray Il] is rectangular-shaped with the sides and'ends -formed of angles and with the floor-formed of a wire meshfpanel-Iti Yhaving a rim I1 around thevouter edge. -The ends of the tray are connectedU tov vertically? `disposed channels `I8 and `I 91 through-plates`-2l] vand 2I with the plates welded tothe trays vand connected to the channels by'screws"22. The upper ends of the channels I8 and I9 are provided with tongues 23 that extend through slots 24 in the posts I2 and I3, as shown in Figure 4, and the tongues rest upon the upper ends of the springs I I. The free length of the springs is longer than the posts and they are held in compression by pins 25 in the upper ends of the posts. The posts, as illustrated in Figure 2, are provided with clips 26 and 2l through which they are mounted on the walls of the cabinet by screws 28.

The cabinet may be provided with vertically disposed partitions 29 having spaced wires or rods 30 therein for dividing the inner area of the cabinet into sections, and shelves 3l with hooks 32 on the edges thereof may be provided to be placed on top of one layer of bottles, as shown in Figure 3, so that another layer of bottles may be placed thereon, and when not in use the shelves may be held on the upper edges of the partitions 29 by the hooks 32, as shown in Figure 3. p

With the parts arranged in this manner the rack is installed in a cabinet, as illustrated, and

the trays I0 are in the position shown in Figure l, when empty or filled with one layer of bottles as shown. When the rst layer of bottles is in place a shelf 3l is placed on top of the bottles and an additional layer of bottles is placed on the shelf. The weight of the-second layer of bottles overcomes the resistance of the springs and the tray moves downward to the position shown in the second division of the section of the cabinet shown in Figure 3, and as many layers of bottles as may be desired may be added, depending upon the size of the bottles and heighth of the cabinet. As the upper layers of bottles are removed the springs elevate or return the trays to the upper positions from which the bottles may readily be removed without bending over and reaching down to the bottom of the cabinet.

The rack and trays thereof may be made in various sizes and may be used for beverage or milk bottles or for containers of any type. The trays may also be provided to hold any suitable number of rows of bottles or containers.

It will be understood that other modications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bottle carrying rack, the combination, which comprises, a cabinet having a cover, a horizontally positioned tray with vertically disposed channels at the ends and positioned on the longitudinal center thereof, said channels having outwardly projecting tongues at the upper ends thereof, tubular posts positioned against side walls of the cabinet and extending into the said channels of the trays, said posts having slots in the upper ends thereof and said tongues of the channels positioned in the said slots, means attaching the posts to the walls of the cabinet, springs in the posts on the upper ends of which the tongues rest, and pins in the posts limiting the upward movement of the tongues andtrays.

2. In a container cabinet, the combination, which comprises, a cabinet having a cover, aligned vertically disposed tubular posts having slots in the inner sides thereof mounted on the inner surfaces of the walls of the cabinet, springs positioned in the posts, vertically disposed channels having backs with side flanges positioned with the flanges overlapping the sides ofthe posts, the backs of said channels having projections at the upper ends extending through the slots of the posts and riding on the upper ends of the springs,

4 horizontally disposed trays carried by the lower ends of the channels, and vertically disposed partitions dividing the cabinet into sections in which the trays and posts are positioned.

3. In a bottle storing and cooling cabinet, the combination which comprises a box-like casing having insulating walls and having a hinged cover, a plurality of horizontally disposed rectangular shaped trays having wire mesh bottoms supported in angle iron frames transversely positioned in said casing, said trays having-vertically disposed channels at the ends, and positioned on the longitudinal centers thereof, said channels having backs with outwardly extended flanges and being provided with outwardly projecting tongues at the upper ends of the backs thereof, tubular posts positioned against the side walls of the casing, and positioned between the anges of the said channels thereof providing guide means for the trays, said posts having slots in the upper ends in the sides extended toward the trays and the tongues of the said channels being positioned to extend into the said slots, means attaching the posts to the walls of the cabinet, springs in the posts on the upper ends of which the tongues rest, and pins in the posts limiting upward movement of the tongues and trays whereby the springs hold the trays suspended in the upper ends of the posts and with the tongues against the said limiting pins and the weight of bottles on the trays compresses the springs and moves the trays downwardly in the casing.

ROBERT J. SHELLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 806,965 Field Dec. 12, 1905 829,011 Horner Aug. 21, 1906 1,546,727 Goldman July 21, 1925 2,266,268 Robinson Dec. 16, 1941 2,273,233 Tanner Feb. 12, 1942 2,319,872 Leonard May 25, 1943 2,323,448 Brennan July 6, 1943 2,422,350 Gross June 17, 1947 2,463,307 Price Mar. 1, 1949 

